Contagious
by lunarmira
Summary: Side to CoSF sort of . When Gaara gets sick, Neji is the one who cares for him, and feelings long thought forgotten come to the surface.


_**Contagious**_

_**AN:**__ I do not own Naruto or the characters from that story. This is a work of love and not meant for profit. This story is a bit of a side to _Children of Sorrowful Fate, _but it can stand alone._

_Speaking of which, both _Mad World _and _CoSF _will have updates soon. I promise. I just was feeling ill today._

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The two children, one a girl with pixie short black hair and pale blue eyes, and the other a boy with very short, but messy dark auburn hair and emerald green eyes, both about four or five years of age stared into the office of the Kazekage.

"Uncle Gaara's _sick_," the girl breathed, "He's just laying his head on the desk and not doing _anything_."

The boy didn't respond to his friend, just stared in worried wonderment at the red-haired man who was sleeping lightly on top of the paperwork.

"_There_ you two are," a soft feminine voice behind them said, and the two children turned to see a matronly woman with long chestnut hair and sharp emerald eyes panting as she caught up to them, "Just because you're both feeling better does _not _mean you can run all over the tower." she turned to the girl, "Now what would Neji say if he knew you were about to bother Lord Kazekage?"

"B...but Uncle Gaara..." the girl protested as the woman took her and the boy's hands, "He's not acting right!"

A hand ruffled her hair in passing, and the girl turned to see Neji softly smiling at her, "I'll go check on him Hitori, you and Taran go with Maya and stay out of trouble today."

Maya gave him a slight smile of gratitude as she took the children away and Neji lightly knocked on the office door as he entered.

Gaara didn't stir, and Neji walked over to the desk and placed a palm on the Kazekage's forehead. He shook his head, _He's burning up. So it's safe to say that he caught this from the children last week. _

"Mmph," the red-head said quietly, then shot up as tired teal eyes opened, "Paper... gotta... treaty..." his body slumped back down again, and Neji sighed as he gently took one of Gaara's arms and draped it around his shoulder.

"Come on," the brunet whispered, "You're not going to be able to do any work like this." he hefted the red-head up and started to take him out of the office and back to Gaara's rarely used quarters.

"Hey is he alright?" Kankuro asked as Neji passed him in the hall way.

"It's a fever, but if you could get that medic nin he trusts, just in case," the brunet said, "And cover for him in case Suna has an emergency."

The puppet master nodded, "That goes without saying, but I can't ever remember Gaara getting sick." he covered his face with his palm, "The kids..."

"My suspicions as well," Neji sighed, "Most likely it was Hitori... we didn't catch her illness until she collapsed after all."

Kankuro nodded and left to get the medic, while Neji opened the door to Gaara's room and gently placed the red-head on the couch, the only piece of comfortable furniture in the room. The rest were bookshelves and a dark wooden desk.

"So you still work in here when not in either of your appointed offices," Neji sighed taking in the piles of journals, scrolls, books, and papers strewn all over the room, "And it's still as messy as ever."

He found a blanket and placed it over Gaara's body and pulled the wooden chair to sit next to him, _Nine years since I was last in this room... the last time I was here... _he frowned at the memory, it was right before he was told of the arranged marriage between the Kazekage and Maya, something he didn't take _well _too.

_That and the time I tried to kill Hinata... I believe those were the two times I have lost my temper, _his hand unconsciously went to brush the red-head's hair, _And both over something I had no control over._

Unlike how he had felt towards his cousin, he had found it next to impossible to hate Maya when he had returned to Suna though, he briefly wondered if it was because she threw herself into taking care of the two children, one not even hers, or because he had matured past directing his anger at others.

"Mmmph," Gaara moaned slightly, and Neji looked down at him, a slight blush forming as he realized that his fingers had been running through the other's hair. He removed the hand just as a knock came to the door.

_That would be the medic, _white eyes stared quietly at the Kazekage for a moment before he got up and opened the door.

* * *

Teal eyes opened a few hours later, and Gaara tried to rise up, but sank back down on the catch as his body protested, "What's wrong with me?" he groaned.

"The medic said you'll be better in a little while, but you have to rest," Neji said as he leaned over the Kazekage, "I have some medicine for you."

He helped Gaara sit up a bit, and handed him two white pills and a glass of water, "What is this?" the red-head asked.

"Acetaminophen. It's for the fever and the aches you may have. And you need to drink plenty of fluids, and _rest._"

"For how long?"

"At least a week," Neji smiled, "Then she'll come back to see how you're doing. Don't worry about Suna, Kankuro and Baki are covering for you," he lifted the blanket to Gaara's chin, "And I've been ordered to make sure that you _do _rest."

"But there's an important..."white eyes narrowed at him and he sheepishly closed his mouth and laid back down, "I'm not being given a choice in the matter am I?"

"I'm afraid the entire village insisted."

Gaara turned to his side and quietly regarded his companion, "You brought me to my room?" he asked suddenly realizing where he was, "But..."

Neji's hand brushed against his forehead, and the red-head blushed before swallowing and turning to the brunet, "Are you still angry about..." his voice trailed off and he chewed his lip, _What am I trying to say... are you angry because I performed my duties? Because I let you return to Konoha..._

"No," Neji said quietly, "I don't think I ever really was. Just mad at myself." a long pause, then, "Do you still have it?"

"Do you?" Gaara asked, a lot more emotion showing in his voice than he intended, _So this is being sick, aches, burning, and my feelings are all a wreck. No wonder the children were miserable._

The brunet stared a moment, then reached into the top of his shirt and pulled out a small chain which had a small metal vial on the end, "Gaara... I just want to know."

Teal eyes gazed softly at the vial, before a pale hand went down to one of the pouches on his belt, pulling out a dark silver feather that hung on a black cord. "I don't wear it anymore, but I still have it."

There was a throaty chuckle as Neji leaned his forehead against Gaara's, "We're two sentimental fools aren't we?"

There was no answer, the red-head's illness had caught up with him and he lightly snored, the brunet traced his fingers softly against the Kazekage's cheekbone, and gave him a small chaste kiss, nothing like what they had once shared nine years ago, before standing away from Gaara.

It was promising to be a long week.

* * *

Several days later, Hitori quietly knocked on the Kazekage's office, Taran quietly following behind her, "Uncle Gaara?" she asked.

He looked at her, "What is it?"

"Uncle Neji's _sick,_" she exclaimed, "And he keeps muttering your name in his sleep!" tears came to her eyes, "He's going to be alright isn't he?"

A very small smile appeared on the Kazekage's lips, and his hand briefly brushed against the pouch he had hidden the feather in, "He'll be fine Hitori," he said, "He must have caught it when he was caring for me."

He walked past the children and went down the hall to Neji's quarters.


End file.
